Greetings from an LC member!

[countmeworthy]

Originally Posted by Trusting-

Hi everyone, To describe my current situation in regards to the Local Church, I would still say that I am an LC member, but I have stopped meeting. I am not sure anymore about the group. I am even worried that it might be a cult. But I have not completely cut ties off with them, as I have friends in the group which I still contact from time to time.

IWOW Trusting,
I just scrolled all the way down and read your first post to this forum on this thread.

What a big difference in your (written) countenance of 2019 to today (2024). It sure does appear the LSM is taking a toll on you. I am saddened by the emotional torment you are going through. I am sure everyone here has felt your pain as we were all there at some point. Some experienced more trauma than others. I think this is one of many reasons this forum exists. To let people like yourself you are not alone.

There is nothing to apologize for what you are and have been going through.

The escape from this torment is run to Jesus. The REAL JESUS who SAVED YOU , Who shed His Precious Blood that takes away your guilt, your shame. Run TO HIM Not away from Him.

Remember He came that you, YOU PERSONALLY would have Life, be filled with LOVE and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) Satan, the enemy is out to kill, steal and destroy. Destroy what? Your mental health. Your Joy for Living, Your Joy in the Lord. He’s out to steal friends, family, finances, health from you.

Jesus will never leave you OR forsake you (Hebrews23:5) NEVER! In your darkest hour, Jesus will embrace you and love on you. He will put a smile on your face and even make you chuckle or laugh out loud. Laughter is good medicine for the soul.

Talk to Jesus from your heart. His Holy Spirit will comfort you. I know as we all know, His Holy Spirit is leading you out of the LSM. You have to TRUST Him. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lead not unto your own understanding. He is leading you to green pastures to rest your weary soul.

God LOVES YOU. YOU are very special to Him. Tell Him to heal your mind and He will impart into you “ newness of Life”. Tell Him to take away your fear, your insecurity your depression. HE WILL do it because God is a Promise Keeper!!

Tell Him to fill you with the Joy of the LORD. The Joy of the Lord will give you Strength to get away from the LSM altogether. Tell him to bless you with good and Godly NONJUDGMENTAL friends o

On a “practical” note, I don’t know where you live or what your physical health is like. But I will recommend physical exercise, walking, riding a bicycle, swimming and get a lovable pet. �� Eat more fruits and veggies, red meat and fish Refrain from fast foods as much as you can.

Watch a wholesome funny movie or a funny tv show.

I hope I gave you some encouragement.

May the Lord direct your path and direct your heart quickly and speedily for HE is a GOOD GOD. May He shower you with His Love and fill you with the Peace of God which surpasses all understanding through Christ Jesus. May He shower you with blessings upon blessings as He heals your wounds and restores your health. Amen

Carol G

Thank you for your kind words. I am doing my best to look after myself. I often feel guilt. If I am doing things I like, then the guilt comes in because that might be worldly. Or if I look at other Christian material, even Catholicism, then the guilt comes because then I have fallen to degraded Christianity. Or even if I follow and do what LC says, then the guilt is still there, because maybe I am not doing it enough, or I feel something is off and I shouldn't feel that way. If I am bored at the meetings because it is so repetitive and basically going through the same motions, having to share my enjoyment, even though I'm not enjoying it, then that's wrong to feel that way and the guilt comes in.

I'm not sure anymore. I guess I was supposed to become a normal Christian, but I have become even more abnormal.

I guess the main reason I posted before because I feel in bondage and I've lost what it means to be me, and I have actual concerns but find it hard to even bring it up, because I might be labelled a particular way. I feel a lot of fear leaving. I hear the stories about the Christians who left LC and bad things happen. Or if I leave, then I am forsaking the high truth or the ground. Or if I leave, then the people who looked after me, including while overseas, they would have done it in vain.

To be frank, I really tried my best to follow their teaching, join all the conferences and meetings and connect with the saints, but all it's left me in is in a state of depression, fear and guilt. Maybe I did something wrong...

[PriestlyScribe]

Originally Posted by Trusting-

To be frank, I really tried my best to follow their teaching, join all the conferences and meetings and connect with the saints, but all it's left me in is in a state of depression, fear and guilt. Maybe I did something wrong...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Makes perfect sense to me - you did nothing wrong, neither are you crazy!

How you described your uncertain journey in the LC leads me to believe that you already ARE a Genuine Normal Christian - but you have been trapped behind enemy lines.

Having spent 35 years in the LC starting in 1974 I had need of a lot of self de-programming and un-spiritualizing of my earthly life. One thing that seemed to help me the most was to examine how other high control groups conducted business in the name of God or Christ.

The JW organization shares many painful similarities with the LC but uses completely different proprietary jargon, and that helped me to spot areas within me which deserved emancipation.

I would recommend you watch a recent documentary exposing JW abuse here:

Rebekan Vardy "Jehovah's Witnesses and Me"
https://archive.org/details/rebekah-...ses-and-me-web

Another new resource that I would highly recommend is the blog by Ruth Wise - https://www.inconvenientruth.com/

You seem to be on a very good path to emancipation - keep pressing forward as you sense the strength to do so. There are also countless helpful voices here on the forum so please stick around...

P.S.

[Ex-LC-Rosemead]

Originally Posted by Trusting-

To be frank, I really tried my best to follow their teaching, join all the conferences and meetings and connect with the saints, but all it's left me in is in a state of depression, fear and guilt. Maybe I did something wrong...

You did nothing wrong! It might be your conscience working, which is good. The main three things to do is 1, continue reading your bible and not replace it, 2, continue with your prayer life, and 3, seek fellowship with other Christians.

You should also continue asking questions from others and the Lord. And seeking the answers until you are satisfied. The LC is famous for shouting people down just for asking questions. Learn to enjoy yourself, God has made you unique. The transition is slow when leaving the LC. But many books have been written on this subject of mind control. The books that I just finished reading recently were a big help in seeing what happen to me and what to do going forward. The books were as follows:

1. Jane Anderson, The Thread of Gold. This sister exposes the false teachings of the LC and how it affects your mind. Her journey had a lot of suffering, but she came through it and the way she came through it was she never stop reading her bible, she never stopped praying, and she never gave up her fellowship with other Christians. If you want to see the deeps [sic] of Satan operating among Christians, she exposes that for you. That is, you will see Christians living and acting in their mind for the Lord but unable to follow their conscious. Christians living and acting and never understanding the truth in the bible. It is a really sad thing to see but it is occurring today. For example many Christians in the LC "think" they are disciples of the Lord, but actually they have moved from being a disciples of the Lord to disciples of Witness Lee. It is so subtle can not see it unless

2. Lily Hsu, My Unforgettable Memories of Watchmen Nee. This sister gives a first hand account of her experience in the LC in China from 1920 through the 1950's. You are not going to believe that history has repeated it self here in the US. This sister exposes the false teaching of Watchman Nee, discussing the Deputy Authority, Apostle of the Age, Delegate Authority, Minister of the Age, Oneness in meeting on local ground, calling on the name of the Lord, Getting out of your mind and into your spirit, sound familiar? These things were occurring in the early part of the 1900's. She discusses how these teaching replaced the Lord's Authority in their lives. And they ruined so many Christians there in China because the bible was replaced by trainings, conferences and lessons form Watchmen Nee. And the one behind all of this organizing was no other than Witness Lee. Witness Lee was there side by side with Watchmen Nee. They were were called, by the Chinese brothers and sisters, the two Apostles. Anyways this book will help you see the history of the LC and its founding principles that were carried over by Witness Lee to the USA.